Merlene commemorates Black History Month at a celebratory event organised by Operation Black Vote on 29th October at Friends Meeting House (Hammersmith and Fulham Liberal Democrats)

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Merlene commemorates Black History Month at a celebratory event organised by Operation Black Vote on 29th October at Friends Meeting House

October 30, 2009 5:00 PM
Originally published by Merlene Emerson - Your First Choice for London

Merlene Emerson at Black History Month event 29 Oct 2009 It was a stimulating evening hosted by Lee Jasper, with political speeches inter-mixed with live performances from Kadija Kamara and Ronke, Faith Jegede an inspirational poet, and International comedienne Gina Yashere.

Merlene said: "I was hugely privileged to have the opportunity to speak alongside the founder of OBV, Simon Woolley, Higher Education Minister David Lammy MP and broadcaster Floella Benjamin."

Merlene was one of the handful of speakers invited to speak about who in black history had been their inspiration. Merlene commemorated Mahatma Gandhi, who had also inspired many others including Martin Luther King, Aung Sung Su Kyi and President Obama.

In her own way Merlene is working to highlight injustices in UK such as those affecting migrants under the new immigration Points System and asylum seekers prevented from working to support themselves.

The most significant change that Gandhi achieved was to turn India into the largest democracy in the world and Merlene said she hoped that one day democracy will move even further eastwards and that it would happen within her lifetime.